October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time of year where fundraising for breast cancer research spikes and women are urged to schedule screenings that can detect this deadly disease in its early stages when medical treatment is most effective.
Alcohol and Breast Cancer
As an alcohol treatment facility that exclusively treats female patients, we feel October is a timely month to discuss one of the advantages of limiting or eliminating your alcohol use—a reduced risk of breast cancer.
Research shows that women who drink alcoholic beverages are at a higher risk of hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer, according to BreastCancer.org. Consider the following facts:
- Women who have three alcoholic drinks each week have a 15% higher risk of breast cancer than women who completely abstain from drinking. That risk goes up an astounding 10% for each extra drink a woman has daily.
- A 2009 study found that just having a few alcoholic drinks each week (i.e., three to four drinks) boosted the risk of breast cancer recurrence in those who were diagnosed with the disease in its early stages.
- Alcohol is capable of increasing your body’s estrogen levels and elevating other hormones related to hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer.
- Alcohol is also believed to raise your risk of breast cancer by damaging your cells’ DNA.
The Takeaway
If these are the risk factors faced by women who drink in moderation, imagine the effect of chronic binge drinking on your health. Not only does alcoholism increase your risk of breast cancer, but it also increases your risk of other serious health problems like anemia, cardiovascular disease, cirrhosis of the liver, nerve damage and depression.
About Residence XII
Residence XII offers alcohol treatment for women that empowers women while leading them on their journey toward recovery. At Residence XII, we welcome all women (+18) and aim to provide the highest quality inpatient treatment available. We provide free assessments and references for women seeking more information about alcohol dependency. Residence XII also offers outpatient treatment programs and family treatment programs. Residence XII is state licensed by CARF (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities) and is a member of the NAATP (National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers).
(Image by scottchan via FreeDigitalPhotos.net)